Man Utd news: JJ Gabriel agreement 'reached' as statement released after major blow

It's been a tough start to the season for Manchester United , with problems building both on and off the pitch. Michael Carrick's side have won just one of their opening six matches in all competitions and head into the international break 12th in the Premier League .

Defeats have come against Manchester City , Hull and Brighton , while a late Matheus Cunha goal was required to avoid the same fate against Fulham on Sunday. Much of the momentum that United built in the second half of last season has now been lost and Carrick is under increasing pressure to get things ticking again.

Issues behind the scenes haven't helped. Injury problems - including a fresh one for Benjamin Sesko - have hampered progress, while the chaos surrounding wantaway wonderkid JJ Gabriel has been an unwanted distraction.

With that in mind, here are the latest Manchester United-related headlines as the dust settles on a difficult few weeks for the Red Devils.

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According to reports, Manchester United academy starlet JJ Gabriel wants to move to Spain if he is allowed to leave the club.

The 15-year-old sent shockwaves around Old Trafford last week by requesting to be deregistered . Gabriel has been tipped for a big future at United, but now appears intent on finding a new team.

Spanish outlet Sport have reported that Gabriel's shortlist of potential destinations now features four clubs, two of which are based in Spain. Real Madrid and Barcelona are among those reportedly keen on securing Gabriel's signature, alongside Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain.

It's understood Gabriel has enlisted the services of agent Ali Barat as his attempts to leave United escalate. And the intermediary's influence could prove vital to his future after reportedly unlocking links to Real and Bayern.

Despite his request to depart, Gabriel remains registered with United for the remainder of the season and cannot be deregistered. United believe the matter can still be resolved, despite Gabriel's unexpected desire to up sticks. The teenager is just a couple of weeks away from being eligible to sign a scholarship with United when he turns 16 on October 6, and will need to wait until his 17th birthday before putting pen to paper on a professional contract.

Manchester United striker Benjamin Sesko insists he's working hard to get back on the pitch after suffering a relapse of his persistent shin problem.

The 23-year-old was left out of United's draw with Fulham at the weekend and has now withdrawn from the Slovenia squad. "I am very sorry that I will have to miss the national team's upcoming matches," Sesko wrote on Tuesday in a statement on Instagram . "I have always played for Slovenia - and always will - with heart and pride.

"Right now, the most important thing is to focus fully on my recovery. I am already working on getting back on the pitch as soon as possible to help both the national team and my club once again."

Sesko has featured in all but one of United's matches so far this season.